Proposed toll lanes on the 10 Freeway in San Bernardino County, long-desired upgrades to a Riverside County interchange and a Redlands passenger train are among Inland transportation projects getting a welcome infusion of state money.
The funding is the result of California Transportation Commission allocations last week from a pot of money generated by the state’s controversial gas-tax increase .
Tim Watkins, spokesman for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority , said his agency received $117 million for a $785 million first phase of the 10 Freeway project — building two express lanes on both sides of the freeway for 10 miles between Los Angeles County and the 15. Eventually, the authority intends to extend the lanes to Redlands.
“We’re still working with the federal government on an innovative financing loan,” said Watkins, who added that a decision is expected by summer’s end.
Coupled with the state dollars, he said, that would clear the way for the first construction phase to start in mid-2019.
Watkins said the authority also was awarded $76 million for the $310 million Redlands rail project , which is to feature clean-diesel-powered trains running on 9 miles of track from downtown San Bernardino to the University of Redlands.
Construction is expected to begin next year, he said, with passenger service launching by the middle of 2021.
The new tracks also will pave the way for Metrolink to extend commuter service to Redlands, he said.
To the south, the Riverside County Transportation Commission was awarded $15 million for the long-delayed, $35 million reconstruction of the 15/Railroad Canyon Road interchange in Lake Elsinore.
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That sets the stage for construction to start in late 2019 or early 2020, long-time Lake Elsinore Councilman Bob Magee said.
“So relief is on the way after 18 years,” Magee said, adding that the first project study was done in 2000.
Traffic routinely backs up on Railroad Canyon there.
“It can take three or more cycles to get through,” he said.
Other awards, and the projects they will help fund, include:

$60 million ($60 million project), Etiwanda Avenue bridge over the railroad tracks, Rancho Cucamonga
$24 million ($52 million project), Highway 395 widening in Adelanto from the 18 to Chamberlaine Way
$16.8 million ($24 million project), new six-lane bridge at Moreno Beach Drive and the 60 Freeway, Moreno Valley
$4.45 million ($8.9 million project), widen the 18 to six lanes, Apple Valley.
$3.9 million ($37 million project), Ranchero Road widening, Hesperia.
$3.7 million ($10 million project), five roundabouts on County Line Road, Yucaipa and Calimesa.
$2.3 million ($4.6 million project), improvements to Alder and Randall avenues, including bike lanes, sidewalks, new travel lanes and turn lanes, and medians, Rialto.
$1.7 million ($7 million project), improvements on 3rd and 5th streets, including bike lanes, sidewalks, streetlights and road widening, Highland.

Rancho Cucamonga Engineering Director Jason Welday said construction on the Etiwanda bridge should begin by summer 2020.
“We are thrilled,” Welday said, noting the state funded 100 percent of that project’s cost.
Calimesa Mayor Jeff Hewitt said he was pleased to learn of the award for County Line Road, which his city shares with Yucaipa.
“I’m not a big roundabout guy,” Hewitt said. “Roundabouts are very, very controversial. But all the research shows the roundabouts do a pretty good job of keeping the traffic flowing.”
And, he said, “when you have an accident in a roundabout, usually it’s just a fender bender.”
In all, the California Transportation Commission awarded $2.7 billion in competitive grants in three categories of projects statewide at its May meeting last week, which was in San Diego.